Rack



E. BELMONT April 6, 1948.

. RACK Filed Feb. 3, 1945 I CCCCCCCCC NTOR Jinan/i Patented Apr. 6, 1948 RACK Edgar Belmont, Port Chester, N. Y. Application February a, 1945, Serial No. 576,059 (c1. 211=178) 3 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to racks, and has particular reference to certain improvements in the type of device which is provided with a hook or hooks upon which garments or other items are to be temporarily suspended.

The present rack is primarily designed for outdoor use, for example, at the beach, and is intended to afford a relatively simple, compact, and inexpensive means for supporting towels, beach bags, bathrobes, and other beach accessories. However, it will be understood that certain phases of my invention are not necessarily restricted to such a specific purpose.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device which is unusually compact, thereby facilitating its manual transportation from place to place; and to provide the device with a hook or hooks without at the same time encumbering the structure with undesirable laterally-projecting parts, A feature of my invention, contributing to this objective, lies in the provision of an open recess in a substantially vertical wall, and the employment of a, hook which is so constructed and arranged that while itlies in. shielded and somewhat concealed position within the confines of the recess, it is nevertheless accessible through the recess Opening for the application and. removal of an intem to be suspended thereon.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rack comprises a pole adapted to be supported in substantially upright position, the pole when thus supported having at least one side wall which is substantially vertical and flat, the aforementioned recess being formed in this side wall. The pole preferably comprises at least one portion which is polygonal in cross-section, thereby defining a series of adjacent side walls each of which. afiords a region within which at least one recess of the character mentioned may be formed. It has proven satisfactory to construct the pole of substantially uniform polygonal cross-section throughout its length, and to provide a series of recesses in the side walls, respectively, each recess being longitudinally offset from the adjacent recess or recesses.

For the better achievement of the desired objectives, the pole may advantageously be composed of complementary adjustable sections adapted to be selectively adjusted either into a relatively compact relationship or into an aligned relatively extended relationship. Where, as contemplated, the device is to be used at the beach, the pole may .be provided with a pointed end adapted to enter into the sand or other permaable flooring to support the rack in upright position. Under such circumstances, the built-in hook or hooks contribute to stability by confining the center of gravity of the rack within a relatively small area closely adjacent to the axis of the pole; and the absence of lateral projections minimizes the likelihood of having the rack blown over by the wind.

I achieve the foregoing general objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack of the present character shown in operative condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the rack in collapsed condition;

Figure 3 is an enlargedv cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FigureB; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 3, illustrating a modification.

The rack I have chosen to illustrate in the accompanying drawings is composed of wood,

' and assumes the form of an elongated pole of substantially square cross-section, the pole being composed of two complementary sections In and H. I have illustratively shown how these two sections (which may each be approximately three feet or so in length) may be hinged together as at l2. This permits the sections to be adjusted into the relatively compact side-by-side relationship of Figure 2, or into the aligned relatively extended relationship shown in Figure 1, A releasable fastening means, such as the hookdevice l3, may be provided for holding. the two sections in the relationship of Figure 2 when the device is not in use; and a similar fastening device [4 may be provided for holding the sections in the aligned relationship shown in Figure 1 At least one end of the device is preferably,

pointed, as at I5, to permit the rack to penetrate into a permeable flooring, such as a sandy beach, to hold the device in substantially upright condition.

In the illustrated structure, the square crosssection provides four substantially flat faces within which recesses of the present character may be formed, and while it is convenient to make the entire structure of uniform cross-sectional configurationthroughout its length, it will be understood that, if desired, only certain portions or regions ofthe pole may be configured in this way. In fact, under certain circumstances, it may be desirable to make the device of substantially circular cross-section, without materially altering the nature of the recesses employed or the mode of operation of the device as awhole.

The characterizing feature of the present improvement is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 in which I have shown, on a somewhat enlarged scale, the preferred manner of arranging four recesses I6, l1, l8 and I9 in the four side walls 20, 2|, 22 and 23 respectively. Each of these recesses is preferably of substantially circular cross-section, and its axis (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) is at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the pole. Each recess is longitudinally offset from the adjacent recess or recesses, and extends only partway into the pole. I have found that a recess having a diameter of about one inch is adequate for the present purpose, the pole being of comparable dimensions as indicated in the drawings.

Each recess is provided with a hook, For example, referring to the recess ll of Figure 3, it will be observed that the hook comprises an elongated shank 2d and an integral outer end portion 21 at an angle thereto.- The shank has a threaded inner end 25 in screw-threaded engagement with the base 26 f the recess 11, and the end 21 is bent inwardly to a slight degree so that its tip lies beneath the level of the surface of the Wall within which the recess is formed. The end 21 extends only partway across the recess opening, whereby this end is accessible through the recess opening for the application and removal of any item which is to be suspended from the hook.

A similar hook is associated with each of the other recesses, as shown for example by the hook 28 (in the recess I6) and the hook 29 (in the recess l9). For the sake of clarity, all hooks except the hook 28 have been purposely omitted from the showing of Figure 4.

In addition to the group of four recesses shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pole may be provided with another series of similar recesses, two of which are indicated by the reference numeral 30 in Fiures 1 and 2, and it will be understood that any desired number of recesses may be provided for. The reason for the longitudinal offsettin of the recesses is to avoid an undue weakening of the pole, and to permit the hooks to be mounted in the recesses in the manner shown without interference with one another.

In Figure I have illustrated a slight modification in which the recess 3| is formed in the pole section 32 with the axis of the recess extending inwardly in a downwardly oblique direction, A hook 33 is associated with this recess in substantially the same relationship as hereinbefore described, except that I have shown this hook arranged with its shank 34 at a downward inclination so that the axis of this shank is substantially at right angles to the base 35 of the recess 3|. However, the hook 33 may be caused to extend at right angles to the axis of the pole section 32, if this arrangement is deemed to be more desirable. The advantage of the downward inclination of the recess 3! lies in the fact that the recess opening on the wall surface 361s slightly elliptical or elongated, and thus affords better accessibility to the hook 33 for the purpose of applying and removing an item to be suspended thereon.

By virtue of the fact thateach hook is disposed within the confines of one of the recesses, the device as a whole is substantially devoid of projecting parts. This facilitates the collapsing of the structure into the condition shown in Figure 2, which makes the device easier to handle and transport, and it stabilizes the structure because it avoids lateral projections which might catch the wind or cause the pole to tip over when an item is supported thereon.

Where the hook is arranged as shown in the drawings, with its shank lying closely alongside of the side wall of the recess, added advantages are achieved in that the securement of the hook is rigidified, allowing a relatively narrow shank to be employed, if desired, and a maximum volume of space within the recess is available for accommodating the finger or fingers of the user during the application and removal of an item with respect to the hook.

While the pole illustrated is composed of two hingedly connected sections, it will be readily understood that the device may be composed of a single integral length of wood or the like or may be composed of more than two sections associated in relatively adjustable manner either by hinges or in telescopic relation, or otherwise. Moreover, the pole need not necessarily be supported in operative condition by penetration into a permeable flooring, and any suitable pedestal or supporting structure may be provided for, depending upon the particular circumstances under which the device is to be used. The recesses may be larger or smaller than those illustratively shown in the drawings, and need not necessarily be of circular cross-section. The structure shown is simple, compact, inexpensive, and. admirably suited as a beach accessory, but the details described and illustrated are intended to be merely illustrative in character, and may obviously be modified in a number of respects by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rack of the character described, comprising a pole of polygonal cross-section defining a series of adjacent substantially plane side walls, said pole having a pointed end adapted to enter the ground and thereby support the pole in substantially upright position with said side walls in substantially vertical planes, said side walls having a plurality of recesses therein inclined at an angle to the horizontal with outer openings in certain of said side walls respectively, each recess extending only partially through the pole and being longitudinally ofiset from each adjacent recess in an adjacent side wall, and a hook fixed substantially within the confines of each recess and occupying less than the fullheight of said recess opening so as to permit 'access thereto for applying and removing an article to be suspended thereon, said hook havingv a shank with an inner portion thereof in fixed engagement with the base of the recess, whereby the tendency of the pole to tip under load is minimized.

2. In a rack of the character described, a substantially Vertical pole having a pointed end adapted to enter the ground and with a side wall provided with an open recess therein, and a hook fixed within the confines of said recess and occupying less than the full height of saidrecess open ing so as to permit access thereto for applying and removing an item to be suspended thereon, said hook comprising a shank fixedly supported in the base of the recess and an outer end integral with said shank and arranged at an angle to said shank, the outer portion of said shank lying closely adjacent to an edge of the recess opening, whereby the tendency of the pole to tip under load is minimized.

3. A rack of the character described, comprising a pole of polygonal cross-section defining a series of adjacent substantially plane side walls, said pole having a pointed end adapted to enter the ground and thereby support the pole in substantially upright position with said side Walls in substantially vertical planes, a plurality of recesses formed in said pole with their outer openings in certain of said side walls respectively, each recess extending only partially through the pole and being longitudinally offset from each adjacent recess in an adjacent side wall, and a hook fixed within the confines of each recess and occupying less than the full height of said recess opening so as to permit access thereto for applying and removing an item to be suspended thereon, said hook comprising a shank whose inner portion is in fixed engagement with the base of the recess, and an outer end integral 6 with said shank and arranged at an angle thereto, the outer portion of said shank lying closely adjacent to an edge of the recess opening, whereby the tendency of the pole to tip under load is minimized.

EDGAR BELMONT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 461,256 Brinkerhofi Oct. 13, 1891 513,073 Bohlinger Jan. 23, 1894 527,316 Bonsall Oct. 9, 1894 993,519 Guth May 30, 1911 1,035,575 Goode Aug. 13, 1912 1,057,207 Allen Mar. 25, 1913 1,180,804 Tompkins Apr. 25, 1916 1,564,734 Weiler Dec. 8, 1925 2,091,765 McKee Aug. 31, 1937 2,178,153 Walker et al Oct. 31, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 142,371 Switzerland Nov. 17, 1930 

